Sloppy goals cost PBC chance at Munster football glory
Jack Cullinan, Ennistymon Community School and Daniel Burke, Presentation Brothers College, Cork in the Munster Schools U19 C Football final in TUS. Picture: Brendan Gleeson
The long wait continues for Presentation Brothers College to taste U19 football success, as they finished second best to Ennistymon Community School on Friday afternoon at TUS Moylish Campus in Limerick.
First half goals from Conor Burke and Josh Daniels but PBC on the back foot and they were unable to come from behind in their Munster Schools U19 C Football Championship final.
Trailing by six points at half-time, Pres showed a few flashes of quality in the latter half, but it wasn’t to be. Their day was summed up by a last gasp penalty save from Jack Gallagher, as he denied Jack Tompkins a consolation goal.
Pres only led once and that was when Daire McStay and Tompkins worked it to Daniel Mellerick for the opening score.
Ennistymon’s reply was green, as Colm Breen and Daniels were able to navigate PBC’s defence far too easily. While Daniels’ strike was blocked, it managed to trickle in over the line.
Jack Tompkins, son of former Cork legend Larry, then fired two in a row to tie the game, but Colm Breen raised a white flag to nudge ECS back in front at the quarter hour mark, 1-1 to 0-3.
Tompkins fired over another score to level it, but ECS regained a lead they would not relinquish as Conor Burke got the first of two outstanding points for the Clare school on 21 minutes.
Donnacha O’Dwyer followed up with the second, before Seanán Kirby got his name on the scoresheet with 24 minutes elapsed, 1-4 to 0-4.
Jack Cullinan forced a brilliant turnover and Daniels then won a crucial penalty in the 27th minute. Burke made no mistake from the spot for ECS, leaving the Cork school with a six-point deficit to come back from.
By the half that lead was stretched to seven, as Gallagher kicked a free for Ennistymon.
The effort was there from Pres – but sloppy goals proved costly, and their opponents simply would not allow them back into the game.
There were moments where it looked like they might mount a comeback.
One of those in the 39th minute, as temporary substitute Bobby Kelleher made a glaring solo run from midfield, before tapping it over at close range.
The move was so impressive he kept his place in the team when Eoin Hurley returned.
But Ennistymon were better. Each time Pres kicked a point, the Clare school got one back. Pres never got closer than five points. Ennistymon deserved the win.
Nonetheless, Pres will feel they could and should have done more. A bitter pill to swallow.
C Burke 1-3 (1-0 pen, 0-1 f), J Daniels 1-0, D O’Dwyer 0-2, S Kirby, J Gallagher (f), C Breen 0-1 each.
J Tompkins 0-4 (0-3 f), T Murphy, D Millerick, J Hennessy, B Kelleher 0-1 each.
D Wiseman (Bishopstown); C O’Donoghue (Douglas), D Coughlan (Nemo Rangers), C Murphy (Éire Óg); D Lynch (Kilmichael), S Wiseman (Bishopstown), D Burke (St Finbarr’s); T Egan (St Finbarr’s), D McStay (Lee Gaels); T Murphy (Donoughmoure), D Mellerick (Nemo Rangers), J Murphy (Donoughmoure); J Tompkins (Bishopstown), J Hennessy (Nemo Rangers), E Hurley (St Finbarr’s).
B Kelleher (Na Piarsaigh) for Hurley (35-39 temp), Kelleher for Mellerick (39), S Clarke (Bishopstown) for Hennessy (48), B O’Riordan (St Colmcille’s) for McStay (54), T Curtin (Douglas) for O’Donoghue (60+4).
J Gallagher; N Twomey, C Rynne, G Twomey; D Brody, A Leyden, J Lavin; C Breen, D O’Dwyer; D Griffin, J Daniels, C Byrne; S Kirby, C Burke, J Cullinan.
J Concannon for O’Dwyer (50-51 temp), Concannon for Kirby (53), D McGroary for Griffin (56), B Kelly for Lavin, H Fine for G Twomey, L Fitzgerald for N Twomey (all 60+4).
Kevin O’Brien (Patrickswell, Limerick)
App?
